Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellinzona and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellinzona and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,822 per month in Bellinzona vs $3,494 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,855 per month in Bellinzona vs $5,413 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,889 per month in Bellinzona vs $7,333 in Meilen, rent included.

Bellinzona costs about 9% more than Meilen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bellinzona and Meilen sit above the global median – Bellinzona by 185%, Meilen by 161%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.37 CHF 23.95

$30.27 CHF 23.86

0.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 CHF 88.4

$147 CHF 116

-23.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.75 CHF 14.79

$18.53 CHF 14.61

1.19%

Cappuccino

$4.43 CHF 3.49

$6.47 CHF 5.10

-31.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 CHF 3.82

$6.01 CHF 4.74

-19.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$5.21 CHF 4.11

-19.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 CHF 5.68

$8.55 CHF 6.74

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.00

$7.49 CHF 5.91

-15.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.75

$2.21 CHF 1.74

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 CHF 3.16

$3.26 CHF 2.57

23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 CHF 4.18

$4.13 CHF 3.26

28.33%

Eggs

$7.93 CHF 6.26

$7.43 CHF 5.86

6.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.51 CHF 22.48

$29.80 CHF 23.49

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.99 CHF 29.16

$33.74 CHF 26.60

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.13 CHF 37.95

$50.6 CHF 39.86

-4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.88

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-12.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.64

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.18

$3.03 CHF 2.39

-8.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.42 CHF 5.85

$5.11 CHF 4.03

45.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-9.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$2.32 CHF 1.83

9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CHF 2.09

$2.47 CHF 1.94

7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.31

$1.13 CHF 0.89

47.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 8.75

$11.06 CHF 8.72

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.21 CHF 15.14

$15.47 CHF 12.20

24.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.08 CHF 3.22

$2.16 CHF 1.70

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CHF 3.38

$2.28 CHF 1.79

88.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.26 CHF 4.93

$3.84 CHF 3.03

63.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CHF 77.0

$98.8 CHF 77.9

-1.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 CHF 5.42

$6.88 CHF 5.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.35 CHF 3.43

$4.30 CHF 3.39

1.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 CHF 48.27

$79.0 CHF 62.3

-22.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$2.30 CHF 1.82

-6.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$39.9K CHF 31.4K

-0.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.3K CHF 29.4K

$38.7K CHF 30.5K

-3.77%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$295 CHF 233

$252 CHF 198

17.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$67.3 CHF 53.0

$58.5 CHF 46.11

15.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 CHF 46.66

$59.7 CHF 47.09

-0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 CHF 89.0

$86.3 CHF 68.0

30.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.3 CHF 51.5

$63.8 CHF 50.3

2.30%

Cinema Ticket

$23.10 CHF 18.21

$27.45 CHF 21.64

-15.85%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,866 CHF 1,471

$2,830 CHF 2,231

-34.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 27.4K

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

-12.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 CHF 98.7

$141 CHF 111

-11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.78 CHF 38.46

$61.6 CHF 48.53

-20.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 123

$147 CHF 116

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$205 CHF 162

-8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 CHF 1,473

$1,722 CHF 1,358

8.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 CHF 1,364

$1,496 CHF 1,179

15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,797 CHF 2,205

$2,885 CHF 2,274

-3.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,071 CHF 2,421

$2,478 CHF 1,953

23.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.0K CHF 13.4K

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

19.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,583

$10.1K CHF 7,928

20.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,300 CHF 4,967

$8,615 CHF 6,792

-26.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.09

19.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bellinzona: June 1, 2026

Last update for Meilen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,868 in Bellinzona versus $1,722 in Meilen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Meilen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $112 in Bellinzona versus $147 in Meilen. Groceries tell a different story – $719 in Bellinzona vs $666 in Meilen – so Meilen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bellinzona vs Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,822 in Bellinzona, $3,494 in Meilen – roughly 9% apart. Bellinzona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,733 per month in Bellinzona and $5,241 in Meilen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meilen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,822 in Bellinzona and $3,494 in Meilen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Meilen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,822 in Bellinzona and $3,494 in Meilen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meilen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Meilen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bellinzona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.